Turn it Down
by sidsaid
Summary: The pain, the heartache. Loss is an important part of who we are, and it's the recovery that defines who we shall become. George/Angelina one-shot. Using the song 'How to Save a Life' by The Fray. Rated T.


This was for the Next Gen Fanatics forum: Song of the Day contest. This date actually given by Drishti a long time ago XD :D

Song: **How to Save A Life – **_The Fray_

Pairing: **GeorgeAngelina**

Prompts: **Candlestick, tunnel & volume**

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Harry Potter or the song

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><p>Let him know that you know best<p>

Cause after all you do know best

Try to slip past his defence

Without granting innocence

**-How To Save A Life – The Fray**

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><p><strong>Turn it Down<strong>

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><p>They say there are 5 stages of grief, and that everyone <em>will <em>go through at least some of those stages when faced with 'great' tragedy.

It was different for me, a very strange surreal experience when Fred died. It was all just so sudden, it was like I couldn't even stop to think, I was just frozen. Frozen in the belief that Fred couldn't have died, that Fred wouldn't, that it was all just another one of his pranks. I don't know what I was expecting, maybe him to just apparate behind me and pull on my braids. Laugh like normal, like it was when things were easier and our conversations revolved around Quidditch and practical jokes.

The funeral; I had to force Lee to go. It had all happened so fast after the Battle, it was funeral after funeral. By Fred's,the sucking feeling became familiar, it overcame us when we saw the bodies again, all dolled up, wearing their best, but they were empty, they were cold. The feeling became constant. I'd thought it would be permanent. Lee could hardly handle it, it was after Alicia's funeral he'd broken down. Katie wouldn't speak to us, Lee had no one to talk to except me, the only best friend he had left became bereft and aloof.

We'd understood at first, we'd given _him_ time, Katie started talking to us again, it had all gotten just a little better. But there were times where we would talk and then just remember, remember the hole. It was worse when we'd go by the shop in Diagon Alley, still boarded up, the colours of the walls beginning to fade.

Katie brought it up once – _their_ laughter, we hadn't heard it in a long time. Sure we'd laugh, about trivial things, but we didn't try very hard. It took us a while to get back to something that resembled normal. It was hard, real life was just forced on us so suddenly and we weren't prepared.

Lee had known it was up to all of us to win the war. He'd started Potterwatch for the same reason, except he, well they all would say that Harry was our man, he'd get it sorted. They forgot they weren't invincible, it made seeing the vacant shells even worse.

It had been 3 months after the battle, 2 months and 20 days after Fred's funeral. That was when we'd seen _him_ next. _He_ wasn't the same, _he_ was a hollowed out form of himself. _He'd_ let his hair grow out, it hung limply alongside _his_ sallow cheekbones. _His_ family had started to bounce back, they were excited about Fleur being pregnant, Ron was going back to Hogwarts with Ginny to complete his 7th year, along with Harry, Hermione and many of the other students who had missed out.

It was only by luck we had seen _him_, Mrs Weasley had taken _him_ to the shop, the Ministry were trying to start opening up the shops again, they needed to sign some forms or they'd lose the shop.

We tried speaking to _him_, but he resolutely kept quiet, only nodding to us. Mrs Weasley tried to apologize, she had this pained expression on her face. It was like she had lost both of her sons, as if they were one. I'd always thought of them as a pair, but now it was as if _he_ was stuck down a tunnel, and we'd try to shout to _him_, call _him_ to hurry up and catch up with us, our voices would reverberate and echo off the walls, it would reach _him_, but it was as if _he_ had turned the volume down on the world, maybe even put us all on mute.

Even at Ginny's birthday _he_ was still cold and distant, Katie told me to speak to _him_, and when I tried _he_ wouldn't look at me, _he_ would just walk away and go back to his room. I told Katie that I wasn't going to try anymore, just to wait until he was ready, then she started saying it was my obligation as ex-captain. But this wasn't a simple Quidditch match, I couldn't just trick _him_ into talking to me.

**4 Months, 6 Days **

Exactly. That's how long it had been. The funerals were done, the Ministry was back in order, Diagon Alley was bustling again, people started to smile again. It was just one person, one shop that still had the doors shut and windows boarded up. That was when things started to go bad again, Katie had moved to Dorset with Oliver, and that just left me and Lee. Lee was adamant in getting _him_ to talk again, but he wanted me to do everything. Because I was Angelina the diligent, I wouldn't take no for an answer.

The problem was, _he_ would.

**Step 1: We need to talk**

I slowly walked up to the door of the Burrow, Harry, Ginny and Ron were playing Quidditch and they had managed to rope Hermione into it. Lee couldn't even have the courtesy to come with me, acting as if he was never a Gryffindor.

I knocked on the door, "come in," was shouted through the door and it opened slightly.

The house was as I remembered, in that slight disarray that complimented perfectly with the hectic family that lived in it. Mrs Weasley was cooking in the kitchen and she smiled as she looked up at me.

"Morning Angelina, what a surprise it is, how are you dear?" she asked, smiling warmly at me. I tried to smile sincerely, but the force of what I had to do was just weighing me down.

"I've come to see George," I said confidently, Mrs Weasley made a face of confusion, but it turned sombre.

"Are you sure? He's not really up to talking, he hasn't been the same, well none of us have, but it's harder for him as you know," she said sadly, laying her wand on the table.

"I know, it's just its been 4 months and he hasn't spoken to anyone, and I know it sounds selfish but we're his friends, and it's unfair that we had to be alone in all this because he wouldn't talk to us, especially Lee and he's his best friend." I replied breathing out quickly, and squeezing my upper arm.

"You're a good person, thank you," she said and directed me towards the staircase, "he's in his room."

I nodded and smiled weakly, making my way over to the staircase and making my ascension. As I reached George's door, there was no light coming from underneath so I knocked gingerly.

There was no reply so I opened the door, there was no way I was going to stand outside and wait for him to invite me in.

The room was completely pitch black, I saw a clump on what seemed like the bed, but what looked to be covered in heaps of clothes. The lump was slowly moving up and down, breathing.

"George," the lump moved slightly but not substantially.

I moved closer and pulled at a chair by a nearby table, I sat in it and stared down at the lump.

"It's Angelina, and we need to talk," I said simply, I was still cautiously looking around the room, hoping that maybe this was just a long running joke that George was pulling, and that he had a bucket of bowtruckles attached to the ceiling, ready to drop on an unsuspecting victim.

I watched the lump as it continued to move up and down, he was silent.

"This is going to happen whether you like it or not," I said, much more sternly. The lump still did not move so I slipped my wand from my pocket.

As I spoke the charm, the sheets on top of George began to lift and it revealed a curled up ball of arms and legs. He had gotten substantially thinner, and his skin looked as if the sun hadn't touched it in weeks.

He started to grab for the sheets, but I moved them across the room, forcing him to sit up and face me, his eyes were red, and he had a pained expression on his face.

"Leave me alone Angelina," he said solemnly, barely above a whisper.

"We miss you George, come on, we used to be so close, why don't you talk to me, or at least Lee, he's been terrible without you. There's been no one to prank with you not talking to us."

"Things are different now," he replied, looking down at the floor.

"What are you scared of George?" I asked, staring him down, "that you won't be able to laugh anymore? That it will be a betrayal if you do? Because that's complete shit," I said angrily, keeping my voice level.

He looked at me, just really looked, as if he were trying to look into my soul. I wasn't going to allow it, it wasn't fair in the slightest that he could just do this. It wasn't fair to us or himself.

"You don't understand, you don't understand any of it! It can't go back to normal, because I'm all alone." His voice began to waver and I watched as tears began to fall down his face again, he rubbed at his eyes.

"I might not have a brother, but you know what Fred meant to me. He was the brother I never had, can't you see that? And you George, you are just as important as he was, but you can't see that. We all love you, no matter what you say or do, we just need you to understand that."

"It doesn't matter," he mumbled, looking down at his hands.

I made a weak attempt at a smile and moved closer, sitting on the edge of his bed and right in front of him, "don't be scared George. Don't be scared to carry on, it's going to be okay, I promise you."

He shook his head quickly, "but it's all my fault, everything." I shook my head but he repeated the phrase.

I put a hand to his shoulder, stopping his fidgeting, looking him directly in the eyes. "It's not your fault, it never was. How do you think Fred would feel if he knew you were acting like this. You're supposed to be pulling pranks and doing what you both wanted to do. Just do it for him."

"We can't all do what we are supposed to do, it's not fate." He replied, barely above a whisper.

"Well then, maybe I shouldn't have come?" that's when he flinched and I had caught him. I could see the panic in his eyes and he grabbed at my wrist, trying to keep me there. "You want me to stay then?"

He blinked and then nodded, I carefully wiped away another tear and hugged him tightly, trying to spread my warmth to him. Trying to bring back and resuscitate old George, get rid of his tunnel vision.

**Step 2: I know best**

I lit the candlestick that was in the corner of the room, having finally let go of George. I stood over him, and held out both my hands with a smile on my face.

"Come on, let's get you sorted." I said easily.

He looked at me in confusion and shock, "what do you mean?"

"You look a mess George," I replied truthfully, "you need a good shave and a haircut, and maybe a shower."

He frowned but took my hands anyway, allowing me to pull him up and push him into the bathroom.

When he got out, freshly showered and dressed, a towel around his shoulders, I sat him down on a chair and summoned my scissors, a bowl of water and a towel which I placed just over the heater.

I had decided to open the windows and do some cleaning up in his room while he was in the shower. His bed was made, all the dirty clothes were in the wash basket and I'd quickly cleaned his windows and table.

George gave me a quizzical look before I had started on his hair. "What did you do?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied combing through his hair with my fingers, "I just tidied up a little, now sit still so I can cut your hair."

"How do I know you won't do it badly?" he asked sceptically, and I could just hear an echo of the old George, the one that would give up his lunch just to insult me.

I smiled, "you don't."

Before he could protest I began cutting his hair, cutting it to a more suitable length and out of his eyes. I went into the bathroom and took out his shaving supplies and handed them to him. I watched as he lathered up his face and carefully shaved with the straight razor in his hands. Using the bowl of water to clean the blade. Once he was done he wiped his face with the warm towel and I handed him his aftershave.

"Now don't you look nice and clean," I said with a grin, putting away everything I had taken out and cleaning up his desk again.

He looked to the ground frowning, "I suppose you do know best."

I nodded, "yes George. I have always told you that," I bent down to look in his eyes and they were red again. I just prayed he understood that I'd be here, that I loved him and that I just wanted to make him feel better.

**Step 3: Admit to everything**

It was taking time, a lot of time. George wasn't the most willing of people to just snap back like I wanted him to. He'd get angry and frustrated and before I knew it, he was crying again and telling me that he should have taken Fred's place, that Fred was the better twin.

He'd raise his voice and I'd lower mine, trying to calm him down. Giving him ultimatums that he'd hate me for, but it was the only way forward.

Lee wasn't any better, he hated that George wasn't participating properly, he'd try and shout him into talking, but it didn't work.

I took him aside one day a month later. We'd gone to the shop and had started cleaning up, in silence. I told him he had to open the shop up, because he was letting all the little pranksters down, he'd agreed, even if it wasn't verbally.

"George, you've got to snap out of this semi-silence, yeah? How do you expect to charm your way into the hearts of wizards and witches all around the world?"

"Fred would have known how," he replied.

I had had enough, I pushed him. Not exactly softly, but I realised that what he was doing was not only hurting him, it was hurting me too. I hated that so many of my attempts to cheer him up were futile and he would just shut me down like this.

"Are you sure you want me here? Or are you just going to walk around like an empty shell, driving until you lose the road? You're hurting me, your family, everyone George." I sighed and rested a hand on his shoulder, "you've got a choice George. You can get it all out now, you can tell me exactly what is wrong and I will try as hard as I can to help you with it. We can talk about Fred if you want, anything that will allow you to breathe easier, I am fine with. You've got to understand that George, I'm here for you and only you. Admit everything to me, because I really want to see smiling George again. Or, you could just continue like this, tell me you'll never change and always be like this from now on. The robot who breaks his own heart and those around him that love him. But if you choose that option George, I can't stay, I won't stay, it wouldn't be fair."

His mouth opened and closed, and I could just about feel the tears coming from my own eyes. Threatening to break my resolve and give George the breakdown he had probably been waiting for from me for a month.

I blinked and a tear slid down my cheek and I roughly wiped it away, removing my hand from his shoulder and covering my face with my hands.

I felt his hand take my own from my face, he held it, and then took the other hand, holding both in his hands. Drawing circles in my palms.

I looked up and he looked scared, he looked nervous.

"George?" I asked softly, trying to find an answer in his eyes.

He didn't reply in the usual way, in the normal way. Instead he kissed me. He kissed me quickly and urgently, pulling back just as quickly as he had descended upon me.

I was surprised to say the least, and I knew my mouth was probably hanging open.

"I love you Angelina," he stated, but I was still so confused. "I choose you," he continued, "any ending that has you in it, I want."

I backed away shaking my head, "George, you know that's not what I want to hear." I cried, "you saying you love me won't give me an answer as to why you've been this way for so long. I love you George, but you have to tell me."

He looked away from me, biting down on his lip. "It's you Angelina."

"What do you mean?" I returned quickly, slightly taken aback.

"I know you loved Fred, more than me, and I know you want me to be Fred. You see? I shouldn't be here, it should be Fred, it was meant to be Fred. I should have died during the Battle, I was the weaker one, I'm the one with the defect remember," he pointed to his missing ear, but I shook my head.

I was getting angrier by the second, angry that he could just say these things that had no foundation, tell me how I felt. Blame me, let the reason that he had been a recluse for so long be me. Think that he was the worse twin, that Fred deserved to live more than him.

I stopped him resolutely with a glare, "how dare you," I screamed.

He froze.

"How dare you tell me that you are not worthy, that Fred should have lived and not you. I know it hurts that he is gone, but you are not one half, you are one whole. You are an individual, you are not worth more or less than Fred. You and Fred had 20 years together, some people aren't so lucky, but everything has a reason George. But I know one thing for sure George, that if Fred saw you right now, he'd be so disappointed." I breathed, "you are supposed to carry on his legacy, continue taking the world by storm and he and I both know you can do it. Don't make it out like you are alone in this, I'm here, your family is here, everyone wants to see you up and running. You're the last piece of the puzzle, George."

George was silent, he looked at me then and nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry," he said meekly.

"Just promise me George, promise me you'll try, try as hard as you can, because I know that you will be okay if you just try. Look," I said and I pointed to my mouth and broke into a grin, "just smile."

I probably looked goofy and silly, but I held that grin and waited. It wasn't long before a small smile appeared on his lips.

"You look silly Ange," he said and then broke out into a full grin.

I smiled properly this time, shooting at him and hugging him tightly and whispered in his ear, "I never loved anyone more than I love you George."

I could feel him smile against my hair, "you've saved my life Angelina Johnson."

"Don't be such a sap about it," I replied easily and squeezed him tighter still.

Then I knew. I knew that George was back.

It wasn't long before he started pranking me again, I'd be walking towards the shop and he'd charm buckets of water to land on my head when I opened the door. Then he'd rope Lee into it, who absolutely loved that he had his best friend back. If it were back in Seventh Year, I'd care, but now it just felt right and it made me happy knowing that the pranks were part of George and that Pranking-George meant Happy-George and that's all I really wanted.

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><p><strong>Took me several months to write this XD haha. <strong>

**I be a lazy writer.**


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